Legislative Update: Human Services
Rep. Carol Hill-Evans August 6, 2020 | 12:01 PM
The first three bills I want to talk to you about are parts of the Child Care Legislation Package. HB1471 would change the requirements for the Child Care Works program so that a parent who is not employed, but who is enrolled in a postsecondary education program or a workforce training program, is eligible for child care assistance for at least two years of the postsecondary education or workforce training program as long as the parent meets all other eligibility requirements. This bill was referred to the Children and Youth committee and has been there since June 2019 with no movement. Please contact committee chairs Representatives Karen Boback and Joseph Petrarca if you would like to see this bill be voted on.
HB1472 would create a tax credit for employers who furnish employee child day care. This bill was referred to the Finance Committee and has been there since May 2019 with no movement. Please contact committee chairs Representatives Michael Peifer and Jake Wheatley if you would like to see this bill be voted on.
HB1473 would require postsecondary educational institutions to consider a student’s childcare expenses when calculating decisions on the amount of financial aid that a student is eligible to receive. This bill was referred to the Education Committee and has been there since May 2019 with no movement. Please contact committee chairs Representatives Curtis Sonney and James Roebuck if you would like to see this bill be voted on.
HB2553 would establish the SNAP Healthy Bucks Incentive Program. Not only does the program help stretch critical SNAP dollars and increase consumption of healthy foods, but it also increases the demand for products grown and produced across our Commonwealth. Eligible items would include qualifying fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, or dried), products governed under the Milk Marketing Law, or an agricultural commodity designated with the Pennsylvania Preferred® trademark. This bill was referred to the Human Services Committee and has been there since January 2020 with no movement. Please contact committee chairs Representatives Thomas Murt and Angel Cruz if you would like to see this bill be voted on.
HB835 would ensure Children and Youth Services caseworkers had unfettered access to all records concerning a child. A child’s medical and scholastic records provide a more complete picture for a caseworker on what may be happening in a child’s life. The bill seeks to provide all necessary information to these caseworkers to make the best decisions they can for these at-risk kids. This was a recommendation from the Auditor General’s State of the Child report. This bill was laid on the table last month and is among many bills awaiting a floor vote. If you would like to see this bill voted on please contact the Speaker of the House Bryan Cutler.
The next 3 bills were referred to the House Health Committee. HB1293 seeks to address harms associated with conversion therapy by prohibiting a mental health professional from engaging in this treatment with an individual under 18 years of age. The practice of conversion therapy is strongly opposed by the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, American College of Physicians, American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychoanalytic Association, American Psychological Association, National Association of Social Workers, Pan American Health Organization, and the World Psychiatric Association. This bill has been sitting without a vote since April 2019.
HB1709 would provide emergency relief to those who previously received support through General Assistance which was eliminated in 2019. This bill seeks to support our most vulnerable populations in times of emergency. It has been sitting without a vote since July 2019.
HB1942 would give the Department of Human Services the ability to aid certain low-income individuals buying diapers for children 36 months of age and younger. I am a co-Prime sponsor on the bill and looking for help to move this bill that has been sitting without a vote since October 2019. If you are interested in any of the 3 bills please contact committee chairs Representatives Kathy Rapp and Dan Frankel.
The next 4 bills were referred to the House Judiciary Committee. HB535 hopes to eliminate elder abuse through the power of attorney documents. Because some of agents misappropriate funds and abuse their authority as power of attorney. Under current law, there is no requirement for power of attorney documents to indicate that certain harmful acts could lead to criminal prosecution of the person acting as power of attorney. This bill would revise the current acknowledgement on these documents to include a warning that non-compliance with the principal’s directives could result in criminal charges against the agent and would also allow local Area Agencies on Aging to access financial transactions when a crime is suspected of occurring against a principal who is unable to consent due to incapacity. This bill has been sitting without a vote since February 2019.
HB1384 would explicitly state that even in civil cases, victims of child sexual abuse can discuss the facts surrounding any incident in a settlement agreement, regardless of a non-disclosure clause. This bill has been sitting without a vote since May 2019.
HB1428 would ensure all evidence of a sexual assault obtained by a health care facility by request of the victim or with the victim’s consent—can be turned over to law enforcement anonymously. This would allow law enforcement to obtain evidence and ensure testing critical to capturing serial offenders but would preserve the two-year window for a victim to decide whether to file a report. Further, the victim may elect to receive notification of the results of the testing but can elect not to be contacted for the purposes of investigation. Currently, Pennsylvania’s law does not allow for such actions. Instead, the victim is forced to either remain silent and deny testing or to relive the experiences and horrors to countless investigators. This bill has been sitting without a vote since May 2019.
HB2306 would allow a minor who can be classified as a homeless youth to contract for a variety of services, including applying to high school or post-secondary schools, contracting for shelter and housing, employment, loans, bank accounts at the like. Further, the legislation providers immunity to providers who have reason to believe the minor would incur harm and threats if returned immediately to the home of the parent, legal guardian or custodian, the provider is unable to locate a parent or guardian or the youth refuses to disclose contact information. Upwards of 70% of homeless youth are escaping violent and abusive situations and have gone “underground” as to not be discovered. They are unable or unwilling to access safe shelter and housing services due to the requirement for parental consent and/or their involvement in the child welfare system. These homeless minors are extremely vulnerable to sexual trafficking and labor exploitation. This bill has been sitting without a vote since February 2020. Please contact committee chairs Representatives Rob Kauffman or Tim Briggs and urge them to move these bills to vote.